How To Interpret Court Cards in Your Tarot Reading

Whether you are new to Tarot or you are merely brushing up, it can take some time to learn the meanings of all 78 cards in a Tarot deck. A bit of practice and study will enable you to know exactly how to interpret the cards that you pull in a Tarot reading. However, we understand if you are still having trouble with those Tarot Court Cards. They are the most complex cards in a Tarot deck and interpretations of the Court Cards vary wildly.

Some readers see the Court Cards as specific people or personalities. Others may see them as indicators of certain situations, events, or realizations. That can make it difficult for beginners to interpret Court Cards in a Tarot reading because they may lack the experience to know which meaning applies in what circumstance. Here are some tips that can help you read Court Cards.

The most common way to interpret Court Cards in a Tarot reading is as a person. Sometimes it is someone that the client knows or a celebrity, caricature, or archetype of a person that they are familiar with. The point is that Tarot Court Cards often reflect personality types and traits which can illustrate how someone thinks or feels or what truly motivates them.

Some people draw a connection between how to read these cards and the Myers-Briggs personality test. This test is based on the theories of the preeminent Swiss psychologist and psychiatrist Carl Jung. As the founder of analytic psychology, his work has been influential in various disciplines worldwide (including Tarot readings).

In the Myers-Briggs test, there are 16 different personality types. In a Tarot deck, there are also 16 Court Cards. This provides a lot of overlap between personalities and Court Cards that you may draw during a reading. Since there is no definitive source or arbiter on the matter, you’re free to build your own preferences in your readings. Therefore, in many Tarot books, the Court Cards are given physical attributes that you can draw on in your readings.

For others, the Tarot Court Card personality types may not go far enough. If a person or personality trait doesn’t make sense, you may need to interpret Court Cards in your Tarot readings as a situation or event. For example, pulling the King of Wands could indicate a maturing or a re-evaluation of someone’s goals or how they see their life. On the other hand, the Page of Cups could mean some kind of pending offer or an invitation that may be cause for excitement and celebration.

Sometimes, these cards can mean an ascension or maturity in someone’s life. In this sense, the court indicates wisdom, success, or a change in responsibility at work, home, or in some other aspect of life. It is often relative. Reading for a 20-year-old that suggests maturity could mean a spiritual progression or the start of the next phase of their life. At the same time, pulling the Page doesn’t need to mean young and immature. It can indicate a youthfulness or a zest for life as well as a possible naiveté in light of a certain situation.

There is no right or wrong way. The important thing is that you’re having fun and using Tarot to gain insight into the human condition. If you would like to learn more about Tarot card meanings, click here.